Twins Minor League Report (6/2): Rodriguez Rakes as Mussels Mount Comeback

Transactions:

• OF Cole Sturgeon activated from Paternity List by St. Paul
• OF Derek Fisher placed on Injured List (shoulder sprain) by St. Paul
• RHP Matthew Swain promoted to Cedar Rapids from Fort Myers
• RHP Andrew Cabezas promoted to Wichita from Cedar Rapids
• RHP Melvi Acosta promoted to Wichita from Cedar Rapids 

SAINTS SENTINEL 
St. Paul 12, Iowa 5
Box Score

The St. Paul Saints turned to Mario Sanchez today in a matinee affair against the Iowa Cubs. He was brilliant working 7 2/3 innings allowing just two runs on five hits. Sanchez only struck out two but issued just a single free pass. 

Recently beginning his career in the Twins organization, Tim Beckham got on the board with his first home run today. A two-run blast in the top of the 2nd inning, Curtis Terry also came around to score on the big fly.

Iowa tied things in the bottom half of the 2nd inning and that’s where things stood until the 9th inning. Recently returning from the Paternity List, Cole Sturgeon used dad power and singled with the bases loaded to drive in both Terry and Jake Cave. Doubling up the score, St. Paul finally had some breathing room.

After allowing Iowa to square things up in the bottom of the 9th inning, St. Paul made this one a laugher in the 10th inning. Runner on second base or not, eight runs was going to be enough to get it done. Alex Kirilloff started the inning with a double to score Roy Morales. Then Beckham singled with the bases loaded to score Kirilloff. A Michael Helman walk plated Jake Cave, and Sturgeon pushed across Elliot Soto on a fielder’s choice. Thanks to a throwing error the bases remained loaded, and Morales cleared them with a grand slam for his first homer of the season.

Iowa scored their free runner in the bottom half, but down seven still, it was of little consequence. The recently promoted Austin Schulfer earned his first Triple-A win.

It is of note that Kirilloff returned to the Saints lineup in this one. Despite having been with Minnesota in Detroit on the taxi squad for most of the week, he rejoined the Triple-A club in Iowa for this contest. He may not have been eligible to travel to Toronto for the next series, or the Twins wanted to get him back in games and generate at-bats. He went 1-for-5 with a double, run scored, run batted in, walk, and a strikeout in this one.

Even with the offensive explosion, only Beckham and Cave recorded multi-hit contests for the Saints today.

WIND SURGE WISDOM
Wichita 2, Frisco 1
Box Score

Looking to continue a good run, Matt Canterino took the ball and avoided damage tonight for Wichita. He worked 3 2/3 innings as Minnesota continues to be wary of his pitch counts. Canterino allowed just two hits, gave up no runs, and walked four while striking out the same number.

Melvi Acosta came on in relief making his Double-A debut. He did allow one run but gave up just two hits and a walk while working two innings. Matt Wallner has drawn plenty of attention for his power this season, but he made an amazing catch for the Turbo Tubs in the 2nd inning.

Wichita scored first as Jair Camargo continued to stay hot. His first double of the season scored Edouard Julien before Chris Williams ripped his 7th double to plate Camargo. In the 5th inning, Frisco halved the lead but that's where things stood. Acosta was given the win and recorded that result in his Double-A debut.

KERNELS NUGGETS
Lansing 7, Cedar Rapids 3
Box Score

John Stankiewicz made the start tonight for Cedar Rapids but he was able to work just 2 2/3 innings before being lifted after two runs on five hits. Stankiewicz did strike out three but also walked two on the evening.

Wander Javier got the Kernels on the board first with a 2nd inning single that plated Yunior Severino. Unfortunately that’s the last lead Cedar Rapids experienced tonight. After two runs coming across for the Lugnuts in both the 3rd and 4th innings, Cedar Rapids answered with a pair of their own in the 5th inning.

Stepping in with Will Holland on base, Christian Encarnacion-Strand clubbed his 9th homer of the season to bring it within one. In the 8th inning Lansing added three for good measure and despite being even in hits, the Kernels couldn’t produce more with theirs. Jefferson Morales was the lone Cedar Rapids batter to produce a multi-hit game.

MUSSEL MATTERS
Fort Myers 7, Tampa 6
Box Score

Star pitching prospect Marco Raya was on the bump tonight for the Mighty Mussels. This was not one of his stronger outings as he went just 3 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on three hits and three walks. Raya did punch out four tonight. All of the damage against him came on a 4th inning grand slam.

Fort Myers tallied the first runs of the game in the bottom of the 1st inning. With Jake Rucker on, Emmanuel Rodriguez stepped in and laced a triple to drive him in. Rodriguez then scored on a wild pitch.

The aforementioned grand slam in the 4th inning put Fort Myers behind, and they would stay there the rest of the night. After giving up two more runs in the top of the 5th inning, the Mighty Mussels got one back on Rodriguez’s second triple of the game, this time scoring Luis Baez in the bottom of the 5th inning.

Down three with just three outs left, Keoni Cavaco sent a big fly to left field drawing the Mighty Mussels within two. It was his second dinger of the year. After a Kala’i Rosario single, and an advance to second on a wild pitch, Kyle Schmidt doubled bringing home a run and drawing Fort Myers within 180 feet of a tie ball game. Eventually loading the bases with two outs, Noah Cardenas took a hit by pitch to walk in the tying run and on to the 10th inning it went.

Fort Myers started the inning with Mikey Perez at second base. After getting a second runner on, Perez stole third base. Dillon Tatum then stepped in. He hit a pop-up in front of the pitcher's mound. As the infielders converged, the ball dropped in. As Cavaco advanced to second, Tampa threw the ball to second for a force-out, but Perez took off and scored the winning run. The Mussels found themselves walk-off winners in one of the most unique endings you'll read about..

Rodriguez was joined by Baez as batters registering multiple hits on the evening.

TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Pitcher of the Day – Matt Canterino (Wichita) - 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
Hitter of the Day – Emmanuel Rodriguez (Fort Myers) - 3-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 3B(3)

PROSPECT SUMMARY
We will again keep tabs on the Twins top prospects. You’ll probably read about them in the team sections, but if they aren’t there, you’ll see how they did here. Here’s a look at how the current Twins Daily Top 20 performed:

#1 - Royce Lewis (Minnesota) - Injured List
#2 - Austin Martin (Wichita) - 0-4
#3 - Jose Miranda (Minnesota) - Did Not Play
#4 - Jordan Balazovic (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch
#5 - Simeon Woods Richardson (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch
#6 - Matt Canterino (Wichita) - 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
#7 - Spencer Steer (St. Paul) - 0-5, 2 K
#8 - Emmanuel Rodriguez (Ft. Myers) -  3-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 3B(3)
#9 - Noah Miller (Ft. Myers) - 0-5, 3 K
#10 - Marco Raya (Ft. Myers) - 3.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
#11 - Cade Povich (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch
#12 - Louie Varland (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch
#13 - Ronny Hendriquez (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch
#14 - Blayne Enlow (Wichita) - Did Not Pitch
#15 - Matt Wallner (Wichita) - 1-4, 2 K
#16 - Edouard Julien (Wichita) - 1-3, R, BB, K
#17 - Cole Sands (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch
#18 - Christian Encarnacion-Strand (Cedar Rapids) - 1-4, R, 2 RBI, BB, HR(9)
#19 - Steve Hajjar (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch
#20 - David Festa (Cedar Rapids) - Did Not Pitch

FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS
St. Paul @ Iowa (7:08PM CST) - RHP Ronny Henriquez
Frisco @ Wichita (6:15PM CST) - RHP Casey Legumina
Cedar Rapids @ Lansing (6:05PM CST) - RHP David Festa
Tampa @ Fort Myers (6:00 PM CST) - RHP Jaylen Nowlin

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! It sure is exciting to have all four Twins full-season affiliates back and playing.